Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has described the alliance between Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde-backed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) as fraudulent.
“When I say people are fraudulent, they thought I was joking. And that’s the 419 we are talking about,” said Mr Wike during an inspection of ongoing road projects in Abuja on Thursday.
Mr Makinde earlier declared his interest to contest the 2027 presidency after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the APM to be its standard bearer.
“I, Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, Excellency, announce my candidacy for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the governor stated.
According to the agreement, candidates of the Turaki-led PDP faction in Oyo State loyal to Mr Makinde who are contesting governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and state assembly seats are expected to run on the platform of the APM rather than the PDP in the 2027 elections.
However, Mr Wike said the alliance was unknown to the Independent National Electoral Commission and his faction of the PDP.
He added, “There’s no alliance between PDP and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) or any other political party, as the case may be. INEC also knows that there’s nothing called PDP-APM alliance.”
Noting that the ongoing political activities within the PDP, including the screening of aspirants, clearly showed that the party remained independent and had not entered into any coalition arrangement, the minister accused Mr Makinde of pursuing his personal presidential ambition through the APM platform.
“PDP has presented a presidential candidate and watch out who will be submitted to INEC and see whether there’s anything called PDP-APM.
“What you have is Seyi Makinde joining APM to be able to actualise his presidential ambition, which is already dead on arrival,” Mr Wike said.
The PDP has been embroiled in leadership crisis stirring yet to be resolved court cases.